Hello Carolyn, your lye strength sounds fine. As for me, just leave them in for at least 10 days, they only get cleaner. If you have a piece with a heavy build up, just take it out and scrub some of it off, your're helping the lye out a little here, and then put it back in. The lye strips the piece down to its original color which is a kind of pale grey lookin color. Of course it won't take off rust, but it will take the gunk off quite nicely. One thing about it, you can't leave a piece in too long. So if you are not satisfied with what you see after about 10 days, leave it in longer. After removing from the lye, rinse it off, then I wash my pieces in hot soapy water and dawn dishwashing liquid using a stainless steel chore boy, it does a wonderful job, once you do this it is down to what I call being naked, it is as it was the day it was made. At this point it is very vulnerable to rust so you gotta do something with it, either season it if you are going to use it, or put some kind of oil on it to keep it from rusting, I use mineral oil, makes it shine and it looks good. If you are not going to use it and opt for the mineral oil, warm the piece up real good first and then put the mineral oil on, it goes on ever so nicely and it actually darkens it a tad, it won't darken it, if you don't heat it first though, Then if you decide you want to use the piece to cook in, wash the mineral oil off using hot soapy water and dawn again, and then season it and you are good to go. Sorry to be so wordy.